Phlox plant named ‘Tiara’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Phlox , ‘Tiara’, characterized by its large semi-double flowers that are pure white in color, its healthy foliage with a high degree of mildew resistance, and its compact plant habit with thick sturdy stems.

Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar designation: ‘Tiara’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata ‘Tiara’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Tiara’. The new cultivar represents a new herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

The Inventor selected the new cultivar as a single unique plant in a trial plot in Haarlem, The Netherlands in summer of 2007. ‘Tiara’ was selected from the results of an open pollination of unnamed proprietary plants of Phlox paniculata and the parentage is unknown.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in Haarlem, The Netherlands in summer of 2007 by the Inventor. It has been determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Tiara’ from other varieties of Phlox known to the Inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Tiara’ exhibits flowers that are pure white in color and         semi-double.     -   2. ‘Tiara’ exhibits large flowers that are up to 2 cm in         diameter.     -   3. ‘Tiara’ exhibits healthy foliage with a high degree of mildew         resistance.     -   4. ‘Tiara’ exhibits a very compact plant habit with thick,         sturdy stems.

The closest comparison plant to ‘Tiara’ is ‘White Admiral’ (not patented), which is similar to ‘Tiara’ in having flowers that are white in color. ‘White Admiral’ differs from ‘Tiara’ in being less compact, in having single flowers, in having a less compact habit, and in having thinner and weaker stems. ‘Tiara’ can also be compared to the cultivars ‘David’ (not patented) and ‘Pina Colada’ (U.S. Pat. No. 19,968). ‘David’ and ‘Pina Colada’ are similar to ‘Tiara’ in having mildew resistant foliage and flowers that are pure white in color, however ‘David’ and ‘Pina Colada’ differ from ‘Tiara’ in having thinner stems and in having single flowers rather than semi-double.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Phlox. The photographs were taken of a one year-old plant of ‘Tiara’ as grown a trial garden in a garden in Haarlem, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a view of a plant of ‘Tiara’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 is a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Tiara’.

The Photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a leaf of ‘Tiara’. The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of one year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The plants were grown under average day temperatures of 15° C. to 32° C. and average night temperatures of 8° C. to 18° C. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Mid to late summer in the Netherlands.         -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, compact, upright.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 54 cm in height and about             40 cm in spread.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 4.         -   Diseases and pests.—Has shown good resistance to powdery             mildew (Erysiphe spp.).         -   Root description.—Fibrous. -   Growth and propagation:     -   -   Growth rate.—Moderate.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings, division also possible. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem size.—An average of 24.2 cm in length and 4.5 mm in             width.         -   Stem shape.—Round.         -   Stem strength.—Strong and sturdy.         -   Stem color.—144A.         -   Stem surface.—Glabrous, slightly glossy.         -   Stem aspect.—Held nearly upright.         -   Internode length.—An average of 4 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Flowering stems emerge from crown, an             average of 9 stems per plant one year in age, no lateral             branches. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrowly obovate to narrowly elliptic.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Truncate.         -   Leaf apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, not conspicuous, 144C on upper             surface and lower surface.         -   Leaf margins.—Slightly revolute, very finely serrate (about             30 serrations per cm).         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Smooth and glabrous on upper and lower             surface.         -   Leaf color.—Upper surface newly formed; N137C, lower surface             newly formed; 137C, upper surface mature; 137A, lower             surface mature; 137C to 137D.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 7 cm in length and 2.9 cm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 12 per stem.         -   Leaf fragrance.—None.         -   Petioles.—V-shaped, an average of 3 mm in width and 2 mm in             length, 144C to 144D in color, surface is glabrous. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Compound terminal panicle.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 3 to 4 weeks from the             opening of the first flower to senescence of last flower,             individual flower lasts about 10 days.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 18.7 cm in height and 13.4             cm in diameter.         -   Flower fragrance.—Faint to moderate, sweet phlox fragrance.         -   Flower number.—Average of 200 per inflorescence, one             inflorescence per stem.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright to outward, dependant on location of             the inflorescence.         -   Flower bud.—An average of 1.1 cm in length and up to 5 mm in             width, obovate in shape, 157C and 157D in color with calyx             portion 144A and 144B and base 144D.         -   Flower form.—Explanate with tubular base.         -   Flower size.—An average of 1.3 cm in length and 1.7 cm in             width.         -   Corolla tube.—About 4 mm in length, 3 mm in width, color             145A on outer and inner surface, dull and smooth surface.         -   Corolla lobes.—5, orbicular in shape, held horizontally when             fully open, slightly overlapping, about 8 mm in length and             1.2 cm in width, apex rounded, base fused to tube, entire             margins, upper surface color when opening; 157D, lower             surface color when opening; 157D, upper surface color when             fully open; 155C to 157D, lower surface color when fully             open; 155C to 157D, non-fading, surface is dull and smooth             on upper and lower surface.         -   Calyx.—Campanulate in form, comprised of fused sepals with             sepal tips free, an average of 6 mm in length and 5 mm in             width.         -   Sepals.—5, primarily fused with free tips, linear in shape,             margins entire, base fused (about 60%), apex narrowly             apiculate, an average of 5 mm in length and 1.3 mm in width,             surface is smooth and moderately glossy, color of newly open             flowers upper and lower surface; 144A to 144B with base 145C             to 145D, color of fully open flowers upper and lower             surface; 144A and 144B with base 145C to 145D.         -   Peduncles.—Oval in shape, strong, primary an average of 15.5             cm in length and 3.5 mm in width, secondary an average of             10.6 cm in length and 2 mm in width, primary held upright,             secondary held at about a 35° angle, glabrous surface, color             144A.         -   Pedicels.—Oval in shape, strong, an average of 4 mm in             length and 1 mm in width, glabrous surface, color 144A to             144B. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, stigma has 3 branches about 5 mm in             length and 150C to 150D in color, style is about 4.5 mm in             length and 145B to 145C in color, ovary is inferior and 143A             in color.         -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens, anthers are basifixed, oblong in             shape, 1 mm in length and 161D in color, filaments are             adnate to petals and 1 mm in length, pollen is low in             quantity and 11D in color.         -   Seeds.—None observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Tiara’ as herein illustrated and described. 